OFCP is pleased to share the final report of Brain Disorders in Ontario: Prevalence, Incidence, and Costs from Health Administrative Data.

This Report is the culmination of a two-year collaboration between the Ontario Brain Institute and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences which involved the contributions from clinicians, patients, and advocates. OFCP was very proud to be involved and to have an opportunity to contribute in this major undertaking. Below is an info-graphic, followed by the briefing note, followed by the link to the report.

It is all about the brain.All the various conditions in the scope of mental health and neurologic disease manifest in a change of brain function. This report examines these otherwise disparate conditions collectively as ‘brain disorders’- an integrated approach to view them as diseases of a single organ. This is a necessary first step to bring greater awareness and attention to the health consequences and care needs of those affected by all disorders of the brain. As a group, the brain disorders included in this report demonstrate the breadth and diversity of conditions affecting Ontarians. Although those included in this report are only a subset of the hundreds of brain disorders, they represent many of the most common and impactful disorders affecting the healthcare system and society. There are many conditions missing, including highly prevalent disorders such as autism, depression, and addiction, but over time methods will be developed to measure these as well.

Brain disorders are a big issue that will continue to get bigger.Individuals with brain disorders represent a large and growing population, which will increase as our population continues to age. Brain disorders are a growing public health concern: they exist as chronic conditions with no known cures and individuals with brain disorders often require lifelong treatment and care. This can also be very hard on caregivers who support individuals living with brain disorders – the economic and societal impact is multiplied, reaching far beyond those directly affected. The growing prevalence and tremendous economic and societal impact of brain disorders is why it is critical that the Government of Ontario continue to place a strong focus on brain research and innovation by supporting the Ontario Brain Institute and other groups working towards improving brain health.

A baseline measurement of brain disorders is needed to improve care and support.To date, there have been no region-specific estimates of the prevalence and economic impact of brain disorders. Defining brain disorders, and measuring them from the perspective of the healthcare system, helps estimate the needs of affected individuals and their caregivers. This report lays the groundwork necessary for the healthcare system to respond to these needs by planning or building services and support, and by creating greater capacity for care in areas of need. By documenting the sheer number of individuals affected by brain disorders, this report confirms the need for more research and better care for individuals living with brain disorders which is why the OBI was established.

Health administrative data can be used for disease surveillance.The methods used in this report to measure prevalence, incidence, and cost provide several advantages over survey or other self-report data sets: the large number of individuals contained in the data holdings improves precision and generalizability of estimates, and the longitudinal aspect of the data allows the examination of time trends in data. This approach is a starting point to better understand the present issues but it is not without limitations. This report only captures those who have interacted with the healthcare system in the year of measure (2010), and requires that individuals also receive a diagnosis or drug therapy related to their brain disorder. Therefore the results may underestimate the true number of individuals with each disorder for various reasons including stigma, lack of access to care, or temporary lack of need of care.

As a new resource, this report was created with the following objectives:

To estimate the prevalence and incidence of brain disorders from population-based health administrative data

To provide an overview of costs associated with all publically provided health care services used by individuals with brain disorders

To present evidence to inform program and resource planning, policy and decision-making regarding brain disorders in the Ontario health system

Federated Health Charities Kick Off Annual Charitable Giving Campaign

Federated Health Charities is a coalition of 16 provincially-based health charities in Ontario dedicated to raising funds for its members within the Ontario Public Service that will support health education and awareness, medical research, and client and patient services.

Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy (OFCP) has been one of the charities lucky enough to receive funds from the Federated Health Charities campaign for 27 years now.

How we help our donors make an informed choice

When our donors make an informed choice to donate their used clothes and household items to the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, it creates a world of inclusion, activities, assistive devices and freedom of choice for our members......

Critical facts the Federation want you to know:

OFCP directly employs over 190 people in our pick up services department.

OFCP telephone representatives, confirmers, drivers, route managers, bin locators and supervisors work within 4 branch offices in the province of Ontario to make our pick up program a success.

We DO NOT lend our name to for profit used clothing companies, who in turn pay a small percentage back to the charity.

OFCP creates gainful employment opportunities in Ontario and the Federation is committed to employment equity and a safe working environment where every employee is respected.

100% of our profits, after operating expenses go to our programs, members and fund essential services.

Every bag of clothing you donate contributes one pound at a time to our organization, to provide our members with funding for equipment and activities to enable them to live active and inclusive lives.

Your donations are recycled back into your local community. They are not sent to landfills or other countries.

Our trucks are fully equipped with professional drivers licensed and trained in road safety, customer service and green initiatives.

We offer a free pick up service right at your door when you donate.

Our clothing donation bins are serviced by our own employees, and not a subcontracted organization.

Our support staff work in our offices across the province providing you, our donor, with the personal attention you deserve.

You can arrange your donation pick up on our website here or give us a call at 1-877-244-0899.

The Federation is committed to a positive donor experience. Why choose OFCP for your used clothing donation?

We are committed to assisting our members in creating opportunities that focus on choice and self-determination. We are also committed to customer service for our donors, making it easy for you to make a commitment to us.